NCCAM Investments Related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

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Overview of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act). The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. It is an unprecedented effort to jumpstart our economy, create or save millions of jobs, and put a down payment on addressing long-neglected challenges so our country can thrive in the 21st century. The Act is an extraordinary response to a crisis unlike any since the Great Depression, and includes measures to modernize our Nation's infrastructure, enhance energy independence, expand educational opportunities, preserve and improve affordable health care, provide tax relief, and protect those in greatest need.

Implementing the Recovery Act at NCCAM

NCCAM received approximately $31 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) to fund complementary and alternative medicine research in fiscal years 2009 and 2010. As of September 30, 2009, NCCAM has awarded $16.8 million to fund 45 new and pending grant applications. In addition, the NIH Office of the Director funded four grants that NCCAM will administer for a total of $1.4 million.

The impact is expected to extend beyond the immediate scientists who will receive funds, to allied health workers, technicians, students, trade workers, and others who will receive the leveraged benefits. Beyond the immediate economic stimulus, the long-term impact from the science funded by the Recovery Act will have a positive impact upon the health of the Nation for years to come.

What NCCAM Funded

Click the image at right to display a list of NCCAM-administered research grants provided by NIH's Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool (RePORT)

NCCAM-funded grants under the Recovery Act cover topics such as chronic pain, aging, digestive health, and mind-body approaches. With the 2007 National Health Interview Survey revealing that the most common reason Americans use CAM is for treatment of pain, studies on chronic pain are a vital component of NCCAM's research portfolio. Recovery Act-funded research on chronic pain includes: acupuncture for carpal tunnel syndrome, natural products and massage for osteoarthritis of the knee, and spinal manipulation for low back pain. The research on diseases related to aging includes antioxidants for Parkinson's disease and omega-3s for stroke. The digestive health research includes; herbal supplements for food allergies, probiotics for newborn digestive health, and amino acids for inflammatory bowel disease. The mind-body research includes; meditation for immunity and psychosocial function, yoga for smoking cessation, and acupuncture for chronic insomnia.